Everyone goes through periods of grief throughout their lives. However, compared to ordinary sadness or sorrow, clinical depression is more severe and lasts longer, making it difficult for a person to carry out daily activities. Doctors prescribe antidepressants as a treatment for depression. But according to a study published on NCBI (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), only 20% of the people who took antidepressants noticed an improvement!
New studies show the importance of Ketamine as a medication to cure depression with significantly better results and in a shorter amount of time.
If you’re depressed or having suicidal thoughts, fast-acting antidepressants have the potential to make you feel better in a matter of hours; Ketamine is one of the most effective.
In this post, we will be talking about:
- What is depression
- Signs of depression
- What is Ketamine treatment for depression?
- What happens during a Ketamine session
- Is Ketamine safe?
- How can you get a Ketamine prescription for depression
What is depression
Loss of interest or pleasure in formerly pleasurable activities, significant changes in appetite (either significantly reduced or increased), sleep issues (sleeping too much or too little), fatigue, a sense of worthlessness or hopelessness, difficulties concentrating and making decisions, and suicidal thoughts are just a few of the symptoms of depression.
Most antidepressants, a class of medication used often by doctors to treat depression, require weeks or months to start working.
Major depressive disorder, commonly known as depression, is a mood disorder that causes you to feel perpetually down or uninterested in life.
Most people occasionally experience sadness or depression. It’s a typical response to sorrow or the difficulties of life. However, if you experience extreme depression that prohibits you from living your life for days or weeks and leaves you feeling hopeless, worthless, and helpless, it might be something else. You might be suffering from clinical depression, a medical condition that can be managed and treated.
Signs of depression
You might be diagnosed with depression if you have five or more of these symptoms for at least two weeks, according to the DSM-5, a guideline used by clinicians to diagnose mental illnesses:
- You spend most of the day in a depressed state, especially in the morning.
- You experience fatigue or a lack of energy nearly every day.
- You almost always feel guilty or unworthy.
- You experience hopelessness or discouragement.
- You struggle to concentrate, recall specifics, and decide what to do.
- You either have trouble sleeping or sleep too much practice every day.
- Nearly every day, you engage in various activities with little interest or enjoyment.
- You contemplate suicide or death frequently (not just a fear of death).
- You experience agitation or slowness.
- You’ve either gained or lost weight.
Some additional symptoms are:
- Irritable and restless
- Lose enjoyment in life
- Overeating or quitting hunger
- Have aches, pains, headaches, cramps, or gastrointestinal issues that don’t go away or improve with treatment.
- Feel depressed, nervous, or “empty.”
Even while these signs of depression are widespread, not everyone who has depression will have the same symptoms. It can differ in how intense they are, how frequently they occur, and how long they persist.
Physical symptoms of depression are typical in patients with the disorder. They could involve joint discomfort, back pain, gastrointestinal issues, sleep issues, and changes in appetite. You might have also slowed down speech and mobility. Serotonin and norepinephrine, two brain chemicals associated with depression, are an explanation because they affect both mood and pain.
What is Ketamine treatment for depression?
Ketamine, an uncommon class of hallucinogenic drug known as a dissociative, is experiencing a resurgence in use.
Researchers are interested in Ketamine’s potential to treat depression and prevent suicidal thoughts.
If you are interested in the science behind how can Ketamine potentially treat depression, here is the quick hypothesis:
The brain’s NMDA receptors are one area where ketamine is believed to act. Ketamine seems to increase the amount of a neurotransmitter called Glutamate in the gaps between neurons by attaching to these receptors. The AMPA receptor is a different receptor that is activated by Glutamate.
Together, the initial inhibition of NMDA receptors and the activation of AMPA receptors cause the release of additional chemicals that aid in establishing new communication channels between neurons. This procedure, known as Synaptogenesis, certainly has an impact on mood, thinking processes, and cognition.
Ketamine may have various effects on depression. For instance, it might improve communication between particular brain regions, or it might lessen inflammation-related signals, which have been associated with mood disorders. Ketamine most certainly functions in a number of simultaneous ways, many of which are now being researched in our RIVER research project.
What happens during a Ketamine session?
There are different types of ketamine and different ways to administrate it. Sublingual Ketamine can be the most affordable ketamine type and the easiest to use as an at-home treatment.
You might be curious about what will happen during your initial ketamine intake. How will you feel after receiving it?
ketamine is all about taking your body and yourself on a journey. You can feel even more worn out by the voyage if your experience is particularly intense or difficult. This is influenced by many variables, including the dose and how you feel before the intake.
After a ketamine session, you enter a trance-like state. When in this state, it’s possible to experience the full benefits of using Ketamine. The feelings that people experience during this stage are the opposite of all the negative emotions associated with depression. This is why patients are advised to get plenty of rest the days before taking Ketamine, so they feel more at ease and have a better experience.
People who had a Ketamine session reported experiencing:
- Positive thoughts
- Relaxation
- Self-worth
- Openness
- Exhilaration
These effects sink in within the first 10 to 15 mins after taking the prescribed Ketamine dose. The experience would last 45 mins. Usually, the direct effect of Ketamine will be worn away within 1 or 2 hours (depending on the dose). But the effect of the Ketamine treatment in treating depression would last for days or weeks. This will be specific to every individual, and the doctor will decide the dosage and treatment period.
Is Ketamine Safe?
Like any other drug, Ketamine has moderate side effects. Here’s a list of the most frequent negative side effects of Ketamine:
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Dissociation, or a sense of being cut off from your body, mind, and emotions
- Vertigo, also known as the sensation of spinning and losing your balance while motionless
- Drowsiness
- Dysgeusia, also known as altered taste perception
- Psychosis, which can cause delusions and hallucinations
Ketamine may very rarely result in additional negative side effects like panic episodes, mania, ataxia (bad muscle control or coordination), akathisia (difficulty sitting still), autoscopy (out-of-body experiences), and other symptoms.
Ketamine is widely regarded as safe, even for people who have suicidal thoughts. Most medical professionals believe therapeutic ketamine to be generally risk-free when taken under medical supervision and with careful patient screening, with the disclaimer that all drugs involve potential hazards.
Due to its potential abuse, ketamine is still a prohibited substance governed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is subject to strict safety regulations. Ketamine therapy is too harmful to some patients, according to medical professionals, so thorough mental health and medical history are essential before beginning such treatment.
How can you get a Ketamine prescription for depression
People with depression signs who have not had relief from prior treatments may find relief and hope with ketamine. It is conceivable that ketamine could save lives, given its effectiveness in preventing suicidal thoughts in people.
As a promising treatment for depression, particularly treatment-resistant depression, ketamine continues to attract study.
However, ketamine’s potential for treating depression has only recently been studied. The necessity for more research into its long-term effectiveness and safety is emphasized by experts.
If you’re considering using ketamine to treat your depression, speak with one of our RIVER pathfinders, who can answer your questions about Ketamine treatment for depression. They can refer you to a licensed physician and assist you in determining whether ketamine is the best treatment option for you.